Thursday, January 1, 2009

Clint Maedgen with Preservation Hall Hot 4 tonight

It hasn't even been 2009 for 24 full hours, and already the year looks great for live music in and from New Orleans - there's Weezy next weekend, Motley Crue in February and of course our gal Britney riding her comeback home to New Orleans in March. Also this spring, look for a new project from the wizardly Allen Toussaint, who has joined up with producer Joe Henry plus an all-star jazz band (featuring NOLA native Nicholas Payton on trumpet) for the upcoming, as-yet-untitled Nonesuch Records release. And you can kick off the year tonight at Preservation Hall, with the Hall's Hot 4 backing up Clint Maedgen (seen above), the PHJB's newest full-time member. Maedgen appeared for the first time as a full-fledged band member last night at Tipitina's; the leader of underground downtown projects like the New Orleans Bingo! Show and Liquidrone had been guesting with the Hall on vocals for the past few years and collaborating on short film projects, including the much-beloved 2005 "Complicated Life" video and a recent musical valentine. The singer, who studied reeds with jazz great Alvin Batiste at Southern University, will now be playing sax and Albert System clarinet with the Hall. Tonight's three sets kick off at 8 p.m.